Tuesday Apr 05, 2022

TAF Interview Series: Mariani ‘Bam’ Ramli, President and Founder of the Gibbon Conservation Society

In this episode we talk with primate specialist, founder of the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (GReP), and president of the Gibbon Conservation Society in Malaysia about the importance of the rehabilitation and conservation of these incredible primates.

Bam's Bio:

Mariani Ramli a.k.a. Bam Arrogancia founded the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project (GReP) in 2013, after learning about the plight of

gibbons and other primates in Malaysia. She serves as the director of GReP and current President for GCS.

She has a degree in animal biology, was a wildlife ranger with the Malaysian Wildlife Department for more than 10 years, has worked as a project coordinator and researcher for the Copenhagen Zoo, studying flat headed cats, and she has studied gibbon rehab from international organisations such as Phnam Tamao Wildlife Rescue Centre in Cambodia and Gibbon Rehabilitation Project in Thailand. She is a member of IUCN SSC Primate Specialist Group Section on Small Apes, a rare and distinct international honour.

Mariani was recently a winner of the prestigious Young Leadership Awards by the Edge and has received the 2018 American Primatological Society Award. She was chosen as one of the Top Five Women in Leadership in Environmental Sustainability in 2017 and has been widely featured by both local and international media. She is also recognised as Malaysia's Eco Champion by Roots and Shoots, a part of the Jane Goodall Institute.

The ‘mother of gibbons’ herself, Bam has dedicated the last 7 years of her life to the gibbons. For the last 7 years, she has done everything from wiping poo to being a gibbon psychiatrist, cleaning enclosures to building them, menial paperwork to writing scientific proposals, selling GCS t-shirts to inspiring hundreds of kids and so much more, all for the gibbons.

In the years Bam spent working as a ranger in the forests of Malaysia, she has come to love our rainforests and the species that thrive in it. “I love my country so much, I’m giving back to my country by serving the wildlife.” Bam’s love for the gibbons knows no bounds, she has sacrificed everything and faced so many challenges to make this project a reality. When asked why she does it, all she says is, “Every sacrifice is so worth it when I see them make progress, every step is a step closer to freedom for them.”

For more information about the Gibbon Conservation Society and info on how to help GCS and these incredible animals go to:

www.gibbonconservationsociety.org

Follow them => Facebook: @gibbonconservationsociety

Instagram: @gibbonconservationsociety

Want to really help?

=> Introducing our new Adopt a Gibbon Program! You can now symbolically adopt any of our gibbons for just USD 9 (est RM 39) a month. Or you can buy them fruits for only USD 3 (est RM 14) a month. You can cancel your subscription at any time. You can also adopt more than one gibbon or gift the adoption to a loved one.   Through this we hope to create a consistent source of funding to help support the Gibbon Rehabilitation Project, as well as create more awareness on how every gibbon and their rehabilitation needs are different. #EveryIndividualMatters

So pledge to support one of our gibbons or just browse the webpage to get to know them a little. Each gibbon is at a different stage of rehabilitation and recovery. It takes years and dedicated understanding to help these gibbons through their rehabilitation journeys. Support us in our efforts to help them return to the wild.

Find out more here: www.gibbonconservationsociety.org/adopt

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